Hurricane Irene’s bark louder than bite

This tree at Immanuel Lutheran Church was one of the casualties of Tropical Storm Irene. REGION – Hurricane Irene slowed to a tropical storm on Sunday, drenching the area with about four inches of rain and creating conditions that were more damp than damaging.

Millions of Americans fled Atlantic coastal areas and damage reports soared from North Carolina to widespread flooding in Vermont, but Central Mass and the Wachusett region caught a break from the imposing storm system.

Things got off to an early start in Holden at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday when 1,500 customers in the southeastern section of town lost power in advance of the storm. A falling tree branch knocked down a wire that is one of six major feeders out of the town’s substation.

Robinson was at home on Newell Rd., watching weather reports on television when the power cut out.

“I was surprised because it was really quiet at the time, not a lot of rain or wind,” he said. He guessed the branch may have been rotted from previous rains.

That outage affected customers on So. Main St., Doyle Rd., Newell Rd., Holden St., Brattle St., Chapel St. and part of Bullard St. The problem was isolated by 6:30 a.m., Robinson said, and by 7:15 a.m. all customers had their power back.

The rest of the day was marked by isolated power outages, with calls coming in at a consistent rate from 8 a.m. onward. Since the calls came in a steady stream and not all at once, light department crews were able to respond quickly to each.

By 3 p.m., all customers were back online with most waiting only an hour or two for power to return.

“We were very fortunate compared to what others went through,” Robinson said.

Such was the same in surrounding towns. Dozens of reports of downed branches and power lines filled the phone lines at emergency response buildings in Rutland, Sterling, Paxton and Princeton.

Paxton select board chair and interim emergency management director William Trotta said at the board’s Monday night meeting that the volume of calls was quiet, but the storm enabled Paxton, as well as many other towns, to ensure protocol for dangerous storms was ready in case disaster were to strike.

“It was a good opportunity to do an evaluation of emergency management,” he said. “We bit the bullet twice between this and the tornado.”

“The storm turned out to be nothing that was predicted, but it was good to be at the safety complex and see [everything in action],” said Paxton selectman Peter Bogren Jr. “Everyone involved should be commended for the job they did.”

As an indicator of that good fortune, two HMLD crews were dispatched for mutual assistance to Middleborough and Norwich, Ct., on Sunday and Monday.

“Compare that to the 2008 ice storm when we had 19 other towns helping us,” he said.

The storm proved to be no strain for the Department of Public Works, according to assistant director James Zingarelli.

Roadwise, even the usual suspects behaved, with no storm drain overflow at the intersection of Main and Highland streets. Local rivers and streams stayed within their banks.

“Another inch or two of rain and I think for sure we would have been in trouble,” Zingarelli said.

The senior center was opened as an emergency shelter at 6 a.m. and remained open until 4 p.m., manned by the Community Emergency Response Team. The shelter was used by only a few residents.

The Emergency Operations Center was activated at the Public Safety Building, with representatives from various town departments on hand, Ira Hoffman, public information officer for the fire department, said.

The center took calls about power outages, fallen tree limbs and a flooded cellar. Callers were cooperative about refraining from 911 use if it wasn’t a true emergency, instead calling the business lines for police, fire or light departments, he said.

Hoffman also urged residents to sign up for CodeRed, to receive reverse 911 information on cell or land lines.

CodeRed signups are available be at the town Web site at Holdenma.gov.